Is this game free2play?

It's free until battlerank 5 , i think. or 6...something like that.

hmm how manny players can play at the same channel server? or what they call it?

It's f2p now...sort of. Basically, look for the Planetside Reserves program, which is basically a f2p trial version of Planetside. You can do anything you want in the game, including the Core Combat expansion. The only catch: you can only go up to BR 6 (levels are called BRs) and CR 1 (command rank). The reason why this is sort of bad, you need certification points to use equipment, and the higher your BR, the more you can use with one dude. Realisticly, you'll do fine at only have BR 6 since that's just enough to do the majority of things in the game (save for things that require 2-3 implants [effective assassins] or a lot of equipment [super soldiers w/ med apps and nanokits]). Go Terran Republic, like those guys, although their weapons aren't exactly n00b friendly. Or go New Conglomerate, they're weapons are nice for newbs since they focus on power. Vanu's, meh, personally I don't like them since they're weapons are well, TOO easy. If you mess with them you'll know what I mean.

Edit: Oh, and to answer the pop thing, you can have a pretty big number of people on each server, they only limit the pops on continents to I think 133 people for each empire so that's about 400 people per continent that can fight at one time. The best server pop-wise is Emerald during prime-time (afternoon-early evenin) while Markov has smarter people to fight (prime-time is a little later than Emerald. My time-zone is EST just to let ya know). Stay away from Werner though, that server is a ghost town, seriously. Also, when you first start, do the VR sessions (at least the VR shooting gallery to try out the weapons and MAX suits)

Well, I'm just gonna add a couple things to what Jerov said. It's free for 1 year when you sign up. The BR rank 6 thing isn't SO bad, cause you can just have 1 chara for each build you want. You miss the implants and stuff though. ALOT of people play at once, and people actually are TACTICAL, oh em jee! It's seriously awesome to see people working together successfully in this game. Most of the community is pretty cool, but y'know, like in every game, you're gonna find a couple of morons. Great game though. I'm seriously considering paying for it.

-Salenia

This game is seriously fun :P, the one year thing is great, cause it takes about that long to get bored of it, BR6 is decent, cause i mean, you can get specific stuff you want, just not all at once, liek if u save up all your points u get for those 5 lvls, you can eventually get the big BFRs wich, lol everyone hates fighting those, cept the VS with those dang magriders, btw, best starter is New Conglomerate, :P wayyy power,

New Conglomerate = Power
Terran Republic = Speed/rapidfiring
Vanu Soverignity = In the middle, stronger than Terran but weaker than new conglomerate, faster than NC but slower than TR

Main problem why i quit is, for some reason i seem to be one of the few, i get MAJOR LAG when im fightin in air vehicles, and when im fighting inside, no clue as my computer is better than some pplz who say they have no lag at all >.> its weird. but unless u ahve a really really good system or connection or w/e would not suggest you get in air vehicles, even tho they are the funnest things to drive

It was cool i played the trial then full version.
Full version i got cool stuff and made a new costume!
I always flew the galaxy when i had a chance.
My favorate build was the mech one.
Its pretty hard since u get lost in bases LOL!
Theres always action!i mean comon its like 200 vs 200 vs 200 on ONE planet.
Air is the FUNNEST thing to drive its not hard..
LOL your system must be very crappy.
The new air has a lockon missle so AWSOMEAGE!
Plz they are adding the Galaxy gunship so uber pwnage!

i reccomend this post for planetside n00bs. UBER BUMPAGE :p